Some Penang cuisine sampling....

How often can you find this old-styled kopitiam in Singapore nowadays?

One of the things that travellers must do while in Penang is TO EAT!! Of course.

Since this part of Malaysia is also well-known to be a food hub as well...

Just as I mentioned on my FACEBOOK page that I'm not sure if I was that hungry, but this ought to be one of the best Mee Goreng (above) I sampled.

To be honest, I was actually hunting around for a bowl of Assam Laksa around the hotel I'm staying before I decided to opt for this plate of Malay-styled fried noodle served by a Chinese "auntie".

What makes it so delicious I can't describe it, but the moment of truth came you have the noodles into your mouth and yummy as the fish cakes, the bean sprouts etc. blended well with the chili paste that fried with it...

I had a plate of dried "Koay Teow Mee" served with chili paste (above) as my lunch, before I headed to "Hai Kee Chan", as I was told one must try the "Koay Teow" in Penang as the texture is slightly different as compared to one we have in Singapore and its true as it's tender and smoother.

So, here the crowning glory - The Assam Laksa, which I found it, ironically, near the hotel where I stayed.

Like what many people told me, it's a totally different type of Laksa we have back home, which the Penangites call it the "Curry Mee".

Initially, I thought why the hawker gave a spoonful of prawn paste and later I realized it's a way to help to dilute the "sourness" one would experience when sampling the thick Assam gravy.

And the rice noodle that goes with it, is also smooth and tender like the "Koay Teow" I had earlier.

Not "Angkat" but admiration

(The word "Angkat" means "get cosy with someone" or put it bluntly as "getting into someone's good book".)

I still don't know why AirAsia insisting in flying off from Changi's Terminal ONE despite the higher cost

At this moment, the name Tony Fernandez, the trail-blazing CEO of Airasia, can only empitomize all the good things about travelling on shoe-string budget.

Just 10 years ago, who the heck in this part of the world could imagine flying around the region is like taking a coach ride out of your town to a faraway destination?

One example, in the past the idea, travelling to-and-fro Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by air meant one MUST ready to fork out considerable amount to do so, since this lucrative route was the dual-poly of the state carriers of both sides.

Onboard the AirAsia flight to Penang

Having seen that unjustifiable rate air travellers had to bear, Fernandez lobbied tirelessly for them and eventually succeed in breaking up the stranglehold held by SIA and MAS in 2003.

It was indeed a master-stroke as the breaking up of the dual-poly meant travellers need not have to pay astronomical rates when flying around this part of the world.

Furthermore, long journey coach operators are now facing stiff competition from any budget flight operators that follow the path of this once loss-making government-linked airline, since it's just a matter of topping up a few more dollars to fly to places in minutes than hours.

On top of that, Airasia also branched itself into the hotel industry through a joint-venture arrangement with various parties to start up their own hotel chain - “Tune”.

You need to pay for the air-con if you want to use it, but the fan provided is good enough.

Just like its sister company, “Tune” is a non-frills concept accommodation that cater for budget-concious travellers, where room necessities such as air-conditioning, television set and complimentary toiletries are things of a past and will only be provided after paying certain charges for them (in short it's “Pay only when you require” kind of arrangement).

Although, one have to bear this in mind that everything comes with a price and you get what you paid for all.

Correction:

Initially, I thought free wifi is not available at the "Tune" Penang hotel lobby, only to realize 30-minute free internet access is available only if you use the terminal there, but to be sure about that, please check and confirm when you check-in.

Making full use of "Google Maps"....

I realized that this neat tool is essential to all travellers in planning their trips or archiving their journey at the end of it.

I came this tool somewhere last year, and thanks to it I was able to plan and marked out those important landmarks, building and places of interest before I arrive at my destination.

And since then, I extensively use the software by "Google" to check out my direction and location of places, be it locally or in foreign lands.

Although, I do admit that there are also places deemed "out-of-bound" that it's not possible to trace the location.


How to create a map

Some of the Maps I created

View Kotravelog's trail in a larger map


View guangzhou2 in a larger map

So next time, before you head out or want to refresh your memories of your journey... Take of this URL - "http://maps.google.com/"

Some videos to share....

In order to keep this blog going... Enjoy...












At the end of the day, seen "yourself in it"??